The iPhone SE: a classic design with modern hardware

I’ve learned in recent years that — when it comes to laptops, smartphones and tablets — bigger is better for my personal use and work. So spending time with latest round of Apple devices has been a bit odd, and a little nostalgic. Not long ago, 4-in. iPhones and 9.7-in. iPads were the high-end options in Apple’s mobile lineup. But that was before the 4.7-in. iPhone 6 and iPad Pro (available in 9.7-in. and 12.9-in. models).

Now comes the iPhone SE, which was unveiled last month and is now shipping for a base price of $399 (vendor price). The design and size are a clear callback to the iPhone 5 series, but with internal hardware originally designed for the iPhone 6S.

The iPhone SE uses Apple’s powerful 64-bit A9 chipset and M9 motion coprocessor; offers a 12-megapixel iSight Camera (with support for Live Photos); shoots 4K video; delivers NFC support for Apple Pay in stores; and brings to small-phone fans most of the features that made the iPhone 6S so successful.